Michael Winner

[samkydd]

I've recently seen the Deathwish series again, and last Friday The Stone Killers was on the box which I saw for the first time. Is it me or are most Michael Winner films not very good? It may be because they're in the 70s and looking back now I've only just realised how dated they've become.

[ollie]

Michael winner does get a lot of stick,and deservedly so,but here are some of the films he's done that i like.



The System,



The Jokers, (thanks Freddy)



The Games,



Hannibal Brookes,



I'll Never forget what's'name.



one i would like to see is The Nightcomers.

[Freddy]

Totally agree with you Ollie.



For all the brickbats he has received regarding some of his films the list Ollie has given are very very enjoyable films and he also supported Oliver Reed's film career after Oliver had been facially scarred in a pub fight so he is a good bloke in my humble opinion.



So Samkydd watch any of those films on Ollies list and you shouldn't be disappointed



What more can you want?



LOL

Freddy

[Hackett]

I like Micheal Winner which must put me in a majority of one on this site. I don't like all his films I mean he has made some shit. But he has made some good films as well in different genre's. Thrillers like "DEATH WISH" 1974, "DEATH WISH 3" 1985, "THE MECHANIC" 1972 and his slant on "THE BIG SLEEP" 1977. Comedy, "THE JOKERS" 1966, "HANNIBAL BROOKS" 1968 and Ayckbourn's "A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL" 1988. A couple of weasterns "CHATO'S LAND" 1971 and "LAWMAN" 1970. Even a Horror flick "THE SENTINEL" 1976. You can't say he has not had a go and I admire him for that on it's own. Why people don't like him is because he has been successful and worse still for the highbrow mob made a few bob.

[smudge]

I agree with Ollie, Freddy and Hackett - MW's made some excellent films

THE JOKERS will always be one of those classics of the 60s period, and who wouldn't love to resign in the same way that Oliver Reed does at the start of WHAT'SISNAME ?



Winner has made some utter rubbish, but (for the most part) he's stayed commercial and kept ducking and diving. All power to him ; and those ads showed you just what a good sport he can be IMHO...



(More entertaining than an animated mouse, by far !)



SMUDGE

[Steve Crook]

Originally posted by samkydd@Jun 26 2005, 10:08 AM

I've recently seen the Deathwish series again, and last Friday The Stone Killers was on the box which I saw for the first time. Is it me or are most Michael Winner films not very good? It may be because they're in the 70s and looking back now I've only just realised how dated they've become.

He's done a few good films - but he's also done more than his fair share of bad ones. And those from the 70s do now appear very dated.



I do like that ending to the Stone Killer (1973) where the Don who's just had all the other Dons massacred is in confessional but neglects to mention his biggest sin while outside Torrey (Bronson) is detailing to his partner the way crime is getting out of control and finishes it by saying:

You remember that cartoon of an old Roman Circus, where all the lions are roaring, and the page boy yells down the corridor...

[to camera]

You've got five minutes Christians.



Steve

[smudge]

THE GAMES, although (to me) seeming a bit draggy these days, is still one of his better efforts...



SMUDGE

[Clinton Morgan]

I've never seen any of his films but I do remember when 'Dirty Weekend' came out he was driven to put a full page ad in the arts section of 'The Sunday Times' full of quotes from around the world praising the film.

[jacobean]

He certainly knows how to get a good deal when filmmaking - for all his turkey's he has made a huge amount of money and is unashamedly extravagant. Good luck to him. BA seemingly only kept Concorde going just for him and David Frost.



Most of the films I have seen of his have been dire, but I thought DeathWish was a good story, as was the Stone Killer. The same actors seem to turn up as well.

[Jennie_Kermode]

I think Winner's weakness is that he's a very emotional film-maker who often confuses emotional logic with proper plotting. If one fails to share the central characters' passions, there's little to draw one in.



Jennie

[Freddy]

The System,



The Jokers, (thanks Freddy)



The Games,



Hannibal Brookes,



I'll Never forget what's'name.

Interesting to note that The System and I'll Never forget what's'name were both written by P Draper. The Jokers and Hannibal Brookes by Galton and Simpson and The Games written by Erich "Love Story" Segal.



The Jokers also starred Oliver Reed; Michael Crawford;Edward Fox; Michael Hordern; Harry Andrews and Mark Burns.



The System was Reed,Andrews and Burns.



I'll Never Forget What's His Name was Reed, Andrews, Hordern,Fox and Burns.



The Games was Michael Crawford and Hannibal Brookes was Oliver Reed.



As a little aside when watching The Jokers did anybody else notice the connection between the first bomb at the Albert Memorial and the second at the lion house. I wonder if G and S had the monologue Albert and the Lion in mind when they wrote the script.



regards

Freddy

[Hackett]

It was Dick Clement and Ian La Frenias not Galton and Simpson Freddy but I think your observation is spot on about Albert and the Lion.

[Freddy]

Thanks Hackett,


What made me think of the other two not so sure but two great writing teams. The Jokers is one of my favourites. Have you also noticed the number of Canalettos in the film?



best wishes



Freddy

[Hackett]

Freddy what have ice cream cornet's got to do with anything?. Have you fell off the wagon again?.

[Freddy]

Hic Hic



LOL

Freddy

[Wetherby Pond]

Originally posted by Clinton Morgan@Jun 26 2005, 08:48 PM

I've never seen any of his films but I do remember when 'Dirty Weekend' came out he was driven to put a full page ad in the arts section of 'The Sunday Times' full of quotes from around the world praising the film.

He does this with every film he makes, and they're hilarious - not least if you look at the small print and find out that they're quotes from things like the Wolverhampton Gazette.



Gloriously, the full-page ad for Bullseye (by universal consent one of the worst films ever made) once ran directly opposite a much smaller ad for a revival of Robert Bresson's A Man Escaped in Time Out. The Bullseye ad was crammed to bursting with gushing quotes from less than wholly reliable sources. The Bresson ad had one qupte. but it was from someone with an unimpeachably heavyweight critical reputation asserting that it was one of the greatest films ever made.



And guess which ad had the most impact?

[d712]

The Nightcomers isn't very good.

[smudge]

Originally posted by Wetherby Pond@Jun 28 2005, 09:31 PM

He does this with every film he makes, and they're hilarious - not least if you look at the small print and find out that they're quotes from things like the Wolverhampton Gazette.

Hey ! I'll have you know I work blessed hard on those reviews Wetherby !



SMUDGE

[Wetherby Pond]

Terrible director he may be, but I have to say I rather warmed to Winner when I heard this anecdote.



Apparently Marlon Brando was being interviewed and asked to name his favourite of all the directors he worked with - and he said "Michael Winner". Utterly gobsmacked by this, the interviewer asked why, and was told "Because when we started shooting, he came up to me and said 'Mr Brando, you are a great actor. Since I am not a great director, please feel free to do anything you like'."

[smudge]

Originally posted by Wetherby Pond@Aug 21 2005, 07:07 PM

Terrible director he may be, but I have to say I rather warmed to Winner when I heard this anecdote.



Apparently Marlon Brando was being interviewed and asked to name his favourite of all the directors he worked with - and he said "Michael Winner". Utterly gobsmacked by this, the interviewer asked why, and was told "Because when we started shooting, he came up to me and said 'Mr Brando, you are a great actor. Since I am not a great director, please feel free to do anything you like'."

Respect !



SMUDGE